Tech

Your Boarding Pass Could Be Giving Away Personal Information

The bar codes on some boarding passes contain a surprising amount of personal data. So you probably shouldn't post pictures of them online.

Your Boarding Pass Could Be Giving Away Personal Information
Getty Images / Scott Olson
SMS

Even though you might be excited to brag about your awesome vacation plans, that selfie with your boarding pass could give hackers access to your personal data. 

It turns out scanning the bar codes on boarding passes can allow people access to a surprising amount of information, depending on the airline. 

The find was revealed by security expert Brian Krebs. Krebs details how hackers can use the bar code along with some fact-finding about the victim through social media. (Video via Forbes)

They could gain access to a person's name, frequent flier number, information about an individual's current flight as well as any planned future flights.

The example came from a Lufthansa customer, and not all airlines allow for the same information to be accessed through a bar code. (Video via  Lufthansa)

"The airline is protecting your information. What's happening is you're putting it out there because of you scanning or taking a picture on Instagram of your boarding pass, or you're leaving it behind," said Travalliance CEO Mark Murphy.

So it's probably not a bad idea to shred your boarding pass when you're done with it, and, of course, keep it off social media. You may just have to wait until you're actually on the beach to make your friends jealous with vacation photos. 

This video includes images from Getty Images.